The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines literacy as the "ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts.”
A 2015 UNESCO report said that in terms of absolute numbers, India - with 28.7 crore illiterates - was the country with the largest number of adults without basic literacy skills in 2010-11 compared to 2000-01 when it had 30.4 crore illiterates. The problems like poverty, increasing population etc are still surrounding the nation and poses a hindrance in the overall growth of the India.
To overcome these drawbacks of the society and to empower children and women in India, Manthan Sampoorna Vikas Kendra has been working towards spreading holistic education of underprivileged children, under the aegis of His Holiness Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji.
8 September 2018 was international literacy day and this year Manthan Sampoorna Vikas Kendra celebrated this day by highlighting the importance of literacy with great zeal and enthusiasm. The program enlightened children about the history and significance the International Literacy Day, how education helps in the formation of an individual and reformation of today’s nation by uprooting the perils of the society.
The program was organised on large scale at Manthan SVK centres of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar. Competitions and contests were organised and were attended by several students like debate, essay, poster making, and slogan writing competitions. An infotainment session by alumni students instilled the importance of education and moral values in students. The inspiration from the lives of Anandi Gopal Joshi (first lady doctor of India) and Savitribai Phule ( first lady teacher of India) encouraged students. Fun-filled activities like rallies with slogans and dance performance on the song- ‘school chale hum’ motivated students.
